4 The Voice, For students, By students
OPINION
March 16, 2011
www.fsuvoice.com
Moral obligation or arrogance
No to U.S. involvement
By Anna Lee
Voice Staff Writer
George Washington once said, “Be
ware of foreign entanglements.”
There must be a good reason why
more than 200 years ago our first presi
dent urged us to stay out of foreign af
fairs. It is trouble.
Despite what we as Americans think
of our country the truth is that we are
probably one of the most hated on
earth. Why? We are seen as know it
all’s with our ‘save the world’ attitude.
We think that our way is the only way,
the RIGHT way.
Take the revolts in Libya, for exam
ple. Obama recently stated his opinion
that Qadhifi must leave his power im
mediately. He is also considering mili
tary intervention in the area. Of course
what is happening in Libya is sad and
any person with morals would want to
help them but I don’t think we should.
Why do we show so much interest in
other countries when the citizens in our
own country are suffering? How can
we consider military intervention when
this country is in such dire financial
straits?
Not a lot of focus is put on it, but
a lot of Americans are living in pov
erty. A majority of Americans are liv
ing paycheck to paycheck. People are
getting cut from their jobs every day.
Those that are lucky enough to have
jobs are suffering pay cuts. There are
sick people dying because they can’t
afford health insurance. Gas prices are
going up. Tuition is ever increasing.
Grants may be dovrasized.
There is a crisis in America! And
what do we do? Absolutely nothing (at
least the people overseas are protest
ing). We just accept another day not
being able to find a job, enough money
to support our families or losing our
homes. But still we stay silent while
our government looks outward and
considers spending money it can spend
at home to help the poverty in our own
borders.
It seems that the focus should be put
on our own troubles first. How can you
expect to help others when you can’t
help yourself? The only reason we
choose to invade other countries and
‘rescue’ the people is for the resources.
The U.S. is not rich in resources. We
depend heavily on a lot of countries
for things like oil and diamonds. It just
happens to be that places like Libya are
part of OPEC (Organization of the Pe
troleum Exporting Countries) meaning
they have and control a great oil sup
ply. When these places experience cri
sis we feel that we must get involved or
else we may risk losing our supply of
resources. But our so called ‘helping’ a
country is not the best option.
Our intentions may seem beneficial
but they are harmful. Look at the war
on terrorism. We’ve been in Iraq for
over 10 years and what do we have to
prove, nothing but the lives of inno
cent people lost. Do we have evidence
that getting involved has helped the
Iraqi people? Not really and it defi
nitely hasn’t helped us either. This just
proves that once you get involved you
get sucked in and it’s hard to get out.
Another thing wrong with us in
tending to help other countries is a
moral aspect. You have to realize that
foreign countries have used dictator
ships, monarchies, etc. successfully
for many years. Just because there’s a
snag doesn’t mean that it is ineffective
way of governing. When we come in
and try to make another country accept
democracy as the only way to govern it
is just wrong. It makes us look bad and
immoral for not considering the culture
and beliefs of other nations.
Of course, I’m not the only one that
feels this way. A recent poll on poli-
ticsdaily.com showed that ohly about
25% of Americans feel we should get
involved in the crisis in Egypt. That
means that over 70% believe that we
should not be involved. Until ^e can
figure out how to effectively ftin our
own country we should stay outlof the
business of others. |
Yes to humanitarian efforts
By Alicia Bayat
Voice Editor-in-Chief
“Arab League Urges No-Fly zone for Ly-
bia,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
One at a time old regimes are toppled
through the sheer will and determination of
the people. But for Lybia it’s been a long hard
fight.
Does the United States have a “moral” obli
gation to get involved in the internal affairs of
another nation?
That’s the question on everyone’s minds
these past few weeks as riots and violent
clashes unfold as they have in Lybia.
While the world has watched in astonish
ment as a wave of violence and protests sweep
through North Afiica and the Middle East, Ly-
bian leader Moammar Qadhafi holds on to the
reigns of a power with the determination of a
man obsessed;
The U.S. government has a long history of
humanitarian, and military involvement in the
affairs of other nations.
The U.S. is well known for becoming in
volved on the side of the little guy to “right a
wrong,” or balance out a tyrannical leadership.
When is getting involved becoming too in
volved?
The “moral obligation” argument has been
tossed around by the Obama administration
often. It was used in the health care argument
and is now being used in the argument for ini
tiating military action against Lybian leader
Qadhafi.
The U.S. is considering establishing a “No
fly-zone” over Lybia as peaceful protests have
evolved into violent clashes between pro Qa
dhafi forces and the population. The stand on
intervention for the Obama administration has
always been that intervention may help pre
vent the deaths of innocent civihans.
The United States has a moral obligation if
not a political obligation as world leaders to
get involved in the defense of innocent civil-
to fitejp prevent the deaths of thou
sands of inndceiit non-combatants oajjght in
■ '' ^e.turmoi^
When twa^etitities have become so ehi-
broiled in their own agendas and clashes
■ they forget the innocent that may get hurt in
tlje crossfire someone has to step up and help
give a voice to those unable to speak
j tt^ fray. If that happens to be the U.S. or any
t'^omer entity with the resources and ability to
prevent the exploitation or deaths of thousands
of innocent people then there is that responsi
bility to help.
It’s harder to step up and help and much
easier to turn away and pretend that as long as
it’s not directly affecting you then not to get
involved. You constantly hear the argument
that within this country there is rampant un
employment and poverty. •
But consider that as Americans we are a
fortunate nation. In comparison to the violent
clashes innocent citizens are caught up at the
moment, Americans can say they have the
choice to continue to look for work, find a way
to adjust incomes, resources and spending
habits. Americans also have the choice to stop
complaining and expecting the government to
help lift citizens out of poverty and realize all
the choices available that others do not enjoy.
Everyday that Americans get up in the
morning and complain because they can’t af
ford to finance their “habits” like cable, inter
net, alcohol, tobacco, video games, and take
out, is another day that someone in Tunisia
lost their lives or someone in Egypt couldn’t
afford to eat. It is even another day that some
one stuck in the conflict in Lybia was unable
to avoid the possibility of becoming a victim
caught between two forces in a struggle for
power. It is another day when someone in
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran or Iraq had their
voice stifled because of the lack of political,
social or religious freedoms many of us, in
America enjoy everyday.
As humanitarians with enough resources to
sustain leisure time, the U.S. has a moral obli
gation to intervene and affect the lives of those
who don’t have the power or resources to help
themselves.
You can’t fi^ht a powerful force without
powerful allies. Intervention doesn’t always
mean military force.
America can’t be everywhere all at once,
but it can and does have an important role in
the world.
, In 2008 Barak Obama promised to mobilize
f aj^ lead the international conimunity to help
eBd*brufaIity and violence if he became presi
dent. President Obama is now faced with that
^|casioh4n'2011 as Lybian leader Moammar
t^^haB'iiyfiates extreme violent measures
again^ Kis owi^^ople to hold on to his 41
tV|iar reign.
It’s time to stop tMkjng and act.